Oneshot: There's a Fine Line Between Love and Hate
by megmeg999
Summary: Brick's facing the hardest choice he's ever had to make. His love for Blossom, or his brother's lives. Written in connection to Breaking Benjamin's song Dance with the Devil. *read and review please*


Oneshot: There's A Fine Line Between Love And Hate

Disclaimer: I do not own Powerpuff girls or "Dance with the Devil" by Breaking Benjamin 3

_Here I stand, helpless and left for dead…_

Facing Blossom in a fight had been the hardest thing for me to do in my entire life. After thirteen years of doing so, I couldn't bring myself to do it willingly any longer. But I had to. Swinging hard at her with all my might, she easily ducked my hit, using ballerina moves of all things to evade me. She was so graceful it was painful to watch.

_I believe in you, I can show you that I can see right through all you empty lies._

I jumped at her. Pinning her against the ground, straddling her and holding her wrists, she screamed, angrier than any time I'd seen her.

"Get off me! I hate you!" but the pain in her eyes, it was like nothing I'd ever seen before.

There was no denying she was furious with me, trying to kill her. But it was not my choice. Had she known Him threatened to kill my brother, Butch and Boomer, I would have never laid a finger on her. Demanding the head of the Powerpuff leader in exchange for my brothers, it was a choice that rocked me to my core. Especially facing the hard truth of knowing I loved her more than anything, sometimes even more than my own flesh and blood.

_Say goodbye, as we dance with the devil tonight…_

But I couldn't bring myself to do it, not as long as my heart beat. Him's words echoed in my head like a bad record player. "Bring me the head of your precious Powerpuff counterpart. Only you can bring it, should you die in the process, I'll let your brothers go. Should you succeed, I'll let them go. Should you fail, I kill them both. Either way, someone shall die tonight." His sick and twisted game because we'd betrayed him and gone good for the Girls.

She pushed me off her, firing at me with her laser eyes. "Get away from me, you evil jackass."

"Blossom…" what was I to say to her? That I needed to kill her for my brothers? That I couldn't bring myself to do it because of my undying love for her? She'd kill me for being crazy.

_Trembling, crawling across my skin. Feeling your cold, dead eyes, stealing the life of mine._

"Stay away from me! I won't let you hurt me. You're brothers broke my sisters' hearts; I won't let you hurt me in any way. Not as long as you're alive."

My brother's hadn't hurt them. Him had Seduca work to steal them away, leaving the girls hurting and defenseless for later. Blossom was always too smart for me, she'd never taken me, despite the longing I'd had for her. I'd never made it known, at risk she would reject me, as she did now. But her eyes said it all. She loved me, and my trying to kill her broke her heart. It broke mine as all. The cold, dead feeling of her pink eyes was like a vortex, stealing life from my soul. As was the pain I knew I was causing her.

I took the knife out of my belt, turning it aimlessly in my hands. "…I can't do it." She paused, but didn't lose the pink energy balls in her hands. "I can't hurt you. I've lost you when I started this. Now I'm going to end it. Find my brothers, they're under control of Him, locked away as prisoners. He'll come for you because I failed to kill you, but save my brothers and it shall be five to one. You can kill Him and put an end to all of this."

Her anger faltered. "Brick, what are you talking about?"

"Just trust me. They're there."

"Wait, what do you mean _five_, what about you?"

I stared at the blade in my hand, thanking god the hatred filled looked had vanished from her eyes. "I'm making things right. I fucked up, now I'll pay the price." I met her eyes, feeling as though I were on the brink of crying. I didn't want to do this, but it would save the girl I loved, as well as my family. "I love you." I murmured.

Before she could say anything, I drove the knife into my chest, screams escaping her lips.

_Hold on… Hold on…. _

She rushed to my side, catching me as I felt to my knees, and eased me onto the ground. Tears streaked down her face. "Why, Brick?" she said between sobs. "Why?"

I gasped with each breath I took, the pain disappearing into numbness as the blood rushed from my body. I felt tears streak down my face as I caressed hers, her head leaning onto my hand. "To save the three people I love the most."

She cried, pressing her lips to mine. "I'm sorry," she whispered against my lips.

_Goodbye…_

"I love you, Blossom." And slowly I faded into nothingness…


End file.
